Volume 49, Number 10 49th Spring North American Bridge Championships Daily Bulletin Sunday, April 9, 2006 Editors: Paul Linxwiler and Dave Smith Dallas chair Chang triumphs in Vanderbilt final The international squad thanks all for led by Fred Chang defeated Roy Welland’s team in the NABC success final of the Vanderbilt Knockouts, 112-96. Chang, a civil engineer who lives in Flushing NY but was originally from Taiwan, played with Londoner Gunnar Hallberg, American Seymon Deutsch, and a pair from the People’s Republic of China, Fu Zhong and Jack Zhao. Welland included Bjorn Fallenius, Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Adam Zmudzinski and Cezary Balicki. The Chang team, who led ACBL President Harriette Buckman presents the Vanderbilt Trophy by 35 at the half, watched to Fred Chang, captain of the winning team. (From left) Jack Zhao, Chang, Fu Zhong, Gunnar Hallberg and Seymon Deutsch. nervously as Welland’s squad “It’s been a great tournament, for sure,” said made inroads into that lead Gerrie Owen, chair of the 2006 Dallas NABC. trumps and a favorable lie of other defensive “I want to thank all the tournament committee throughout the third and early fourth quarter. Welland trailed by 10 IMPs only at the start of honors. Everything was right for declarer, chairmen. They’ve done an outstanding job. In however, and Chang surged back into control fact, Nancy Foy (ACBL’s meeting services the last set, and narrowly gained the lead in the match. manager) paid them a great compliment this week midway through the fourth quarter. Welland had an opportunity to come back when she said she was bored — the committees Chang regained the lead through a pair of when Chang’s squad missed a vulnerable game had done such a great job, she had a lot less to grand slams that were not bid at the other do.” table. The second of these slams was near the end, but the winners had no more Owen extended her highest thanks, however, particularly hair-raising as it required 2-2 Continued on page 7 to the players. “Thanks to everyone who showed up. I hope you won lots of masterpoints!,” she said. Milner leads District 2 Pair “We’ve had rave reviews about our hospitality gifts and prizes. There have been no complaints, Jacoby Open Swiss leads NAP, Flt B it’s been great. We appreciate people telling us The team captained by Reese Milner is Barb Lillie and Robert Neudorf of Winnipeg they were having a good time.” leading the Jacoby Open Swiss going into today’s MB posted the top score in the qualifying round of Owen, who runs many of the tournaments in final. Their score was 119 Victory Points. Three the Golder North American Pairs, Flight B. the Dallas area, also expressed her gratitude to the teams are tied for second, each with 114 VPs. Lillie and Neudorf had a two-session total of ACBL staff and the army of volunteers who The other members of the leading Milner team 1142.50 with a 35 top, or about six and a half helped. are Sam Lev, Jacek Pszczola, Steve Garner and boards above average. Howard Weinstein. In second were Tony Haddad and Mike Doyle The second-place teams are: Ken Cohen, of Houston TX. The District 16 duo posted a score Goodwill message James Griffin, Keith Garber and Ken Schutz; Jeff of 1102.50. As we prepare to leave Meckstroth, Rodwell, Paul Soloway, Bob Two boards behind second place is the District Dallas, take a moment to say Hamman, Robert Levin and Steve Weinstein; and 24 pair of Gary Russell and Robert Russell, both “thank you” to our hosts – Richard Schwartz, Tarek Sadek, Walid Elahmady, of New York City. it’s been a spectacular spring Jan Jansma and Louk Verhees. Of the 72 pairs that entered the event, 36 tournament. A total of 52 teams qualified from an original survived to today’s two-session final. See you in Chicago in field of 103. July. Aileen Osofsky, Chairman Deas squad leads District 21 duo in National Goodwill Committee Women’s Swiss front in NAP, Flt C The Deas squad grabbed an early lead in the Mike Develin of Berkeley CA and John Barth Machlin Women’s Swiss Teams qualifying of Santa Cruz CA are out in front in the Attendance yesterday. Advancing to the final today are 14 President’s Cup North American Pairs, Flight C. teams from of an original field of 26. Develin and Barth have a two-board lead over through The leaders are Lynn Deas, npc, Kay Schulle, the second-place pair, District 14’s Kim Carey, of Daniella von Arnim, Sabine Auken, Lynn Baker, Bismarck ND, and Dave Kuschel, of Minot ND. Saturday evening: Kerri Sanborn and Karen McCallum with 119 VPs. Just three matchpoints behind are District 13’s Betty Ann Kennedy, Peggy Sutherlin, Pam Valdimir Reznik and Stanislaw Kolesnik, both of Wittes and Linda Lewis are in second place with the Chicago area. 9703½ Tables 105. The third-place team is: Barbara Sonsini, There were 68 pairs in Saturday’s two-session Rhoda Walsh, Tobi Sokolow, Janice Seamon- qualifier, but only 36 made the cut to today’s final Molson, Sue Weinstein and Cheri Bjerkan with 102. round. Page 2 Daily Bulletin The things matchpoint Eastern excellence Mad scientists at work scoring makes us do By Barry Rigal Beneath that mild-mannered (if newly It’s rare to see a demolition as complete as bearded) exterior of Howard Weinstein beats the How greedy should you be at matchpoints? that by the Chang team in the final set of their heart of Count Victor Frankenstein. B. J. Trelford and Chris Buchanan, winners of the match against Hollman in the semifinal round of Sitting opposite him at the table is no, not Bean Red Ribbon Pairs, were very greedy on this the Vanderbilt. It started when Chang’s Fu Zhong Frankenstein’s monster, but the peaceable Steve deal (rotated) from the second final session, and it and Jack Zhao scored a goal here: Garner. Certainly these are not the bridge players paid off. you would expect to see ravaging the country and ♠ Fu Zhong Jack Zhao Dlr: South K 8 3 2 ♠ ♠ terrorizing its innocent citizenry. ♥ A 7 4 2 K 9 8 3 Vul: E-W AK 4 ♥ ♥ Here, however, are the deadly duo at work, ♦ Q 7 A K 4 2 Q J ♦ ♦ terrorizing innocent Vanderbilt opponents: ♣ A K J 5 3 2 Q 4 A 8 5 3 ♣ ♣ Weinstein Garner ♠ ♠ 10 K 8 4 7 6 J 4 ♠ Q J 7 5 4 ♠ A K 8 3 ♥ Q 10 9 8 6 H* J 7 5 3 2 1♦ 1♥ ♥ A6 ♥ K 7 5 4 ♦ A 7 5 2 ♦ K 4 3 1♠ 2♣ ♦ A K Q 6 ♦ J 7 3 ♣ 6 4 ♣ 10 9 2 2♦ 2♠ ♣ 9 2 ♣ A6 ♠ A Q 10 9 5 3♥ 3♠ ♥ — 4♣ 4♦ 1♠ 2NT (1) ♦ 10 9 8 6 4NT 5♥ 3♥ (2) 3♠ ♣ K Q J 7 6♦ Pass 4♦ (3) 4NT North South 2♣ was fourth-suit forcing to game. 6♦ (4) 7♠ Trelford Buchanan The key to the auction was that Zhao, as East, (1) Game forcing. 1♠ could show spade support, then produce delayed (2) Any 5-4-2-2, extra values. 2NT 3♥ support of diamonds (4♦), suggesting Q-x since (3) Exactly 5=2=4=2. 3NT Pass with K-x he might have raised over 3♥. (4) !! See below. In their methods, 2NT was modified Jacoby Zhong used Roman Key Card, and could infer 2NT — it promised limit raise values or better that where 6♠ had a trump loser (5♥ showed two The 6♦ call is really worth three exclamation with spade support. Trelford, South, liked his hand key cards without the ♠Q), 6♦ might make if the points. and so bid 3♥ showing heart shortness with spade went away on a heart or club winner in Weinstein and Garner have a general extras. Buchanon also had extras with a good dummy. Even if the ♣A was offside a heart-spade agreement that when they have two key cards and portion of his values in hearts, so he bid 3NT as squeeze would be sufficient. no voids, their responses should fit this scheme an offer to play (for some pairs, 3NT in this The opponents’ cards cooperated and 6♦ below (the queens in question are the queen of the sequence would be conventional). Trelford made rolled home for a 10-IMP gain. trump suit and the queen of the known side suit): the decision to pass. 5♥ = 2 + no queens ♠ Playing in either 3NT or 4 , you have the 5♠ = 2 + lower queen ♦ same two losers, the A K. Making plus 460 was Zia at work 5NT = 2 + higher queen worth 51 matchpoints on a 51 top for the winners. ♣ By Barry Rigal 6 = 2 + both queens, no kings Zia came in to tell the following story. Put Weinstein decided he could extrapolate from ♦ yourself in Zia’s seat, holding the South cards on this agreement on the fly by bidding 6 to show ♦ this deal (rotated) from the second final of the two key cards, both queens and the K. IMP Pairs. According to Weinstein it took Garner only 10 ♠ ♠K Q 6 3 2 ♥10 ♦10 ♣A 10 9 8 7 6 seconds to bid 7 . I guess he knows his customer! As dealer, you pass and the auction goes 1♦ on your left, 1♠ from partner, pass on your right. A lesser man might jump to 4♠ or 4♣ (fit- Airport shuttle coupon showing) perhaps.